RealNetworks to unveil landmark product at 2015 CES

Streaming media pioneer RealNetworks will provide a preview of RMHD (RealMedia High Definition), featured its new generation of high-definition (HD) codec technology, at the forthcoming 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This new product is very much more than just a mere upgrade of its current RMVB technology; rather, it is positioned to be a revolutionary product that will bring consumers quickly into the era of high-definition media. Streaming media content based on broadband network and mobile network has become the primary choice of users. More entertainment programs and video contents are expected to be transmitted by streaming media, in which video resolution and file size are projected to be a major challenge. RMHD is specifically designed for the next generation of HD streaming media business. It is capable of maximally maintaining the balance between video quality and file size, i.e., it can help operators and manufacturers alike to popularize their HD content service and relevant products on the basis of the existing network environment.

Since 1997, RealMedia as an innovative multimedia container format for RealVideo and RealAudio has given viewers access to streaming videos utilizing constant bit rate streaming. RMVB hits the markets in 2003 for variable bit rate streaming—giving viewers high-quality video over the Internet on a variety of devices. Now RMHD technology can increase the compression efficiency by over 60% comparing to RMVB while maintain the quality of HD image, which not only greatly boosts the reception and transmission efficiency of consumer video contents, but also lowers the operation cost of operators and content providers, and saves network resources. “RMHD is a product orientated to the next generation of HD video market. We expect it to help more and more fixed-line and mobile users enjoy the wonderful experiences brought by HD videos.” said Thierry Raymaekers, AVP RealPlayer Group China, RealNetworks.

Furthermore, a RMHD preinstalled chipset can help computers, mobile phones and tablets fully support HD video. As smart phones and tablets become the most frequently used devices on which users watch videos, increasingly stricter requirements are placed on the compression efficiency of videos. When the same HD video is transferred between end users, the version optimized through RMHD is notably more compact and condensed than the H.264 file version. “RMHD enjoys evident advantages in hardware decoding. Our RMVB codec technology has been successfully adopted for over 1 billion electronic devices. Chipset manufacturers and OEMs will benefit more from RMHD technology, which will usher in the era of a new generation of HD streaming media.” added Mr. Raymaekers.

At the 2015 CES, RealNetworks will put up a preview demonstration of the technical features of RMHD for the first time.